Insecurity: Scores Of Doctors Fleeing North – NMA

The National President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Innocent Ujah, on Tuesday said insecurity was driving away doctors and other health workers from Borno State.

Punch reports that he also expressed concern on the psychological effect the situation was having on many Nigerians, especially victims of kidnapping, saying the development could escalate health conditions leading to sudden death.

The NMA President said this when he led other national officials of the association on a courtesy call to the Governor of Plateau State ,Simon Lalong, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, at the Rayfield Government House in Jos, on Tuesday

The NMA president said, “What is happening in the country in terms of insecurity is very disturbing to us as doctors. A few days ago, a doctor was killed in Kaduna. People are being killed and abducted. I don’t know what would have happened if any of my children were kidnapped; maybe I would have died by now.

“Anybody whose families are abducted; the ones who are rescued are already hypertensive and may likely die of stroke very quickly. So, it is not just a social component, but a health issue.

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“The truth is that a lot of doctors, nurses and other health personnel have moved away from Borno State and other places because of insecurity. We need solution to this problem.”

Lalong said government was aware of the difficulty the people were passing through due to insecurity.

Lalong said, “It is not as if the state and the federal governments are running away, but we are reaching the end. Those in captivity, we are also doing our best to free them. It is a fight to the end and by God’s grace; evil will not prevail against Nigeria.”